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Carr Properties Shores Up Sustainability Efforts: New Solar Rooftop System at Columbia Center and LEED® Gold Designation for Midtown Center

Carr Properties continues its sustainability efforts across its portfolio in 2019, achieving LEED® Gold certification for Midtown Center for the use of energy, lighting, water, and building material, and for incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. A key sustainability feature at Midtown Center is an 89,000-gallon on-site water cistern that collects stormwater and HVAC condensate. The water from the cistern is then used to reduce cooling tower makeup potable water usage. Carr Properties also installed a 130-kW rooftop solar PV system at Columbia Center, its LEED® Gold Certified building, located at 1152 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. The solar PV system started generating power in January 2019.

“We are thrilled for achieving LEED® Gold at Midtown and to have completed our second on-site rooftop solar PV installation at Columbia Center,” said Oliver Carr, CEO of Carr Properties. “Carr Properties is committed to developing projects at the highest environmental standards that have a dynamic, positive relationship with the surrounding neighborhoods. These solar PV projects will reduce base building electrical consumption by approximately 7%, which in turn reduces Carr’s carbon footprint and contributes to the District’s meeting its Renewable Portfolio Standards goals.”

The new rooftop solar PV system was Carr Properties’ second on-site renewable energy project following the completion of the 65-kW rooftop solar PV system at 1875 K Street NW Washington, D.C. in December 2017. These two installations, generating approximately 244 MWh of electricity, and plans for future installations, position Carr Properties as a market leader in office rooftop solar systems in the D.C. Metro area. Carr Properties is also finalizing plans to move forward with over 500 kW/700 MWh of future rooftop solar system installations at The Hub, Barlow Building, 901 K Street, Signal House, and Midtown Center.

Carr Properties is a privately held real estate investment trust focused on creating value for its shareholders through the ownership, acquisition, and development of high-quality office properties in Washington, D.C., and Boston, MA. The company currently owns a portfolio of 17 commercial office properties totaling approximately 4.5 million square feet as well as a pipeline of five development projects that include: The Wilson and Elm Development in Bethesda, MD; Signal House in the Union Market area of Washington, D.C.; and One Congress in Boston, MA. Upon completion, these projects will add 2.4 Million SF of trophy-quality office space to the company’s portfolio. The company is continuing to expand its portfolio through strategic investments in the Washington, D.C., and Boston areas.